diff --git a/formulus/src/database/repositories/WatermelonDBRepo.ts b/formulus/src/database/repositories/WatermelonDBRepo.ts
index 366bbb61b..3c42a487c 100644
--- a/formulus/src/database/repositories/WatermelonDBRepo.ts
+++ b/formulus/src/database/repositories/WatermelonDBRepo.ts
@@ -477,14 +477,16 @@ export class WatermelonDBRepo implements LocalRepoInterface {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Get pending changes from the local database
-   * @returns Promise resolving to an array of pending changes
+   * Get pending changes from the local database (unsynced or updated after last sync).
+   * Includes new, updated, and soft-deleted records so sync can push them to the server.
+   * synced_at can be null or 0 when never synced depending on storage.
    */
   getPendingChanges(): Promise<Observation[]> {
     return this.observationsCollection
       .query(
         Q.or(
           Q.where('synced_at', Q.eq(null)),
+          Q.where('synced_at', 0),
           Q.where('updated_at', Q.gt(Q.column('synced_at'))),
         ),
       )
diff --git a/formulus/src/screens/SyncScreen.tsx b/formulus/src/screens/SyncScreen.tsx
index fe2ee9425..460e102a4 100644
--- a/formulus/src/screens/SyncScreen.tsx
+++ b/formulus/src/screens/SyncScreen.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
   ActivityIndicator,
 } from 'react-native';
 import { SafeAreaView } from 'react-native-safe-area-context';
+import { useFocusEffect } from '@react-navigation/native';
 import Icon from '@react-native-vector-icons/material-design-icons';
 import AsyncStorage from '@react-native-async-storage/async-storage';
 import { formatRelativeTime } from '../utils/dateUtils';
@@ -314,6 +315,14 @@ const SyncScreen = () => {
     updateProgress,
   ]);
 
+  // Refresh pending count whenever the Sync screen gains focus so it stays in sync after creating observations
+  useFocusEffect(
+    useCallback(() => {
+      updatePendingUploads();
+      updatePendingObservations();
+    }, [updatePendingUploads, updatePendingObservations]),
+  );
+
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!syncState.progress || !syncState.isActive) {
       Animated.timing(animatedProgress, {